Electric-light regulator.



L. SYKES & J. H. NAVE.

ELECTRIC LIGHT REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 05c. 18, 1915.

1 1 98,970, Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

V 3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

L. SYKES &J. H. NAVE.

ELECTRIC LIGHT REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. H3, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

W R Q Q w jlp La 0 was v kws i SYKES & J. H. NAVE.

ELECTRIC LIGHT REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 18, 1915.

1 1 98,970. Patented Sept. 19,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

1 QQQ'QQQQ Attnrurus UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEONARD SYKES AND iTAMES H. NA'VE, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, ASSIGNORS TOANY LITE COMPANY, OF NORTH YAKIMA, WASHINGTON, A CORPORATION OFWASHINGTON.

ELECTRICrLIGHT REGULATOR.

Specification of Letters ratii'e Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

Application filed December 18, 1915." SeriaIN'o. 67,655.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, LEONARD States, a

This invention relates to electric light regulators, and has for anobject to provide improved means for increasing or decreasing resistanceas the required or desired light may make this necessary.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved lightattachment having a resistance coil located therein con-.

nected at one end to the line, and with an improved swinging contactadapted to engage the coil with the swinging contact also in circuit.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means formanually controlling the swinging contact.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for cuttinga re sistance into a circuit adapted for use in an electric lightsocket, an auxiliary socket or wall receptacle.

With these and other objects in viewthe invention consists in certainnovel features of construction, combination-"and arrangement of parts aswill be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings :.Figure 1 is a longitudinal diametrical sectional viewthrough an auxiliary socket embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 isatra-nsverse sectional view through the casing on the line 22 of Fig. 7,showing the top of one of the blocks with the screw plug of the socketremoved. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig.1, with the resistance coil removed. Fig. 4 is a view in side elevationof the two porcelains clamping the resistance coil and showing theswinging contact in perspective. F i 5 is a perspective view of theswinging contact removed. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic sectional viewshowing the engagement of the -swinging contact with the resistancecoil. Fig. 7 is a view inside plug and the swinging porcelain 21thereon.

elevation of the auxiliary type of socket. Fig. 8 is a diametricallongitudinal sectional view of a socket embodying the present lnventionadapted to be attached directly to a conductor. Fig. 9 is a sectionalview through the casing taken on line 9-9 of F 1g. 8, showing the upperporcelain in plan as well as the swinging contact. Fig. 10 is a detailsectional view of forming electrical contact between the arm in a typeof socket shown at Fig. 1. Fig. 11 is a View in side elevation of thetype of socket shown at Fig. 8. Fig. 12 is a view in section of a wallreceptacle embodying-the present invention. Fig. 13 is a sectional viewof a wall receptacle embodying the present invention taken at rightangles to Fig. 12. Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the base porcelain01' the type employed at Figs. 12 and 13. Fig. 15 is a view in frontelevation of a wall receptacle embodying the present invention showingthe extended ends ofthe coil for manual actuation.

Like characters of reference designate parts throughout the severalcomprises a base porcelain shown at 20 in the type shown at Fig. 1, witha superposed The base porcelain 20 is preferably provided with a centralhub 22 with a squared portion 23 engaging in complementary sockets inthe superposed porcelain 21.

The porcelain 20 is provided with a beveled or inclined annular portion24 forming an annular space between the porcelains 20 and 21 diminishingin depth toward the center within which space is located a coil 25 ofresistance wire. The resistance wire is of course insulated in the usualwellknown manner with the insulation scraped from the upper surface ofsuch wire as indicated at 26 in Fig. 6 immediately below the arcuateslot 27 in the porcelain 21fsuch slot being shown more particularly atFig. 2. livoted at- 28 to the porcelain 21 is a swinging contact 2having a spring finger 30 hea ring directly upon skinned surfaces of theresistance coil as shown at Fig. (i. The

contact finger 30 is provided with a stamped showing the means A.further sleeve 36 embraces the casing 32 and the whole structure. issecured together bymeans of a bolt 37 downwardly through-the plugporcelain 38,

. through the porcelains 21 and 20, and is provided at its lowerend'with the contact 39.

The socket 33 is-secured' to the. porcelain by means of a bolt'40,

and the whole device is ventilated by means" of theopenings 41 2 7121,and the openings 43 and 44 in the casing. The swinging contact member 29is ma- 5 ings 44.

in the porcelain 20' and 42 in the porcelain nipulated by meausof cords45 and 46 which pass throughopenings '47 and 48 respectively, and areattached to the swinging contact member 29 by being passed through theopening 49 therein and secured thereto in any approved manner as by theknot=51, and said cords are respectively upon the exterior of the casingprovided with'pendant members 52 and 53. The metal sleeve 54 about theplug porcelain 38 is electrically connected with the swinging contactmember 29 by a finger 55 formed mtegraltherewith and engaging againstthe head of the bolt at 28, as shown more particularly at Fig. 1. Meansas the rib 56 provides a tongue and groove connection between theporcelain 21 and the porcelain-38 whereby the relation of the twoporcelains is maintained to maintain the finger 55 in engagement withthe pivot 28, while the porcelains 21 and 20 are maintained innon-rotatable position by means of the squared member 23.

As shown at Figs. 8, 9 and 11, the socket is intended to attach to theordinary conductor 57, a bushing 58 being employed to engage the casing59 in substantially the usual and ordinary manner. The porcelains 20 and21 are substantially the same as disclosed in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive,but connection is made by substituting the porcelain block 60 for theblock a contactbracket 61 is secured connected with the bolt 37, and asecond contact bracket 62 is provided with a finger 63 resting upon thepivot 28.

The inclosing structure difliers from the inclosing structure of thedevice shown at Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive only in that the casing 64 issubstituted for the sleeve 36 to engage the bushing 53. The manual cords45 and 46 are brought out through openings 47 and 48 in the casing 64and the openings 66 are preferably placed higher up than the open- A lip67 is also preferably struck receptaclethe base porcelain shown whichextends 56. To the block' 60 in at'68 to bear on the porcelain .21 toproperly position. the parts.

To arrange 'the'parts for use in a wall at 68 is provided with-ears 69to secure the same to the receptacle 701as shown at Figs}. 12 and 13.The porcelains21 and 60 are connected the same as in the disclosure ofFig. 8, and

. the manual cords 45 and 46 run outwardly through bushings 71 and 72respectively formed in the receptacle cover 73, and the coil 25 isconnected with the bolt 37 as shown at Fig. 12 indicated in dotted linesat 74. Whichever the construction, the coil 25 is in all instancessurrounded by a band or ring of insulating material 75 so that at theextreme outward limit of movement the contact finger 3O bears upon suchinsulating material to-wholly break the circuit. The center of theannulus composed of the resistance coil 25 is also preferably composedof a ring 76 of little or no resistance upon which the contactfinger 3Orests when the light is to be on at full voltage.

It is obvious therefore that as the contact finger is moved manually inits arc across the stripped surfaces of the resistance coil it first.leaves the ring 76, offering but little resistance connected directlywith the light, and moves to cut in increasing coils of resistance untiladjacent the periphery the resistance has become so great as topractically extinguish the light when a further move onto the insulatingmaterial 7 5 serves to break the circuit entirely. It is obvioustherefore that in turning on'a light by this contrivance the finger iffirst moved from the insulating material through the resistancedecreasingly to full voltage whereb the current is turned on at thelight gra ually and avoiding thereby the shock of sudden impressing ofthe high voltage upon the filament of the lamp. This tends to save thefilament and increase the life of the lamp.

WVe claim:

1. The combination with an electrical conductor, of a pair of insulatingblocks spaced apart by an interval increasing in width from the center,a contact ring located in the space nearest the center, a resistancecoil filling the space and having one end attached to the ring, aninsulating material located at the outer periphery of the space, aswinging contact member located upon one of the blocks and adapted forengagement with the ring and the resistance coil, andtgnanual means forswinging the contact n1erri l .er upon a pivot.

2. flihe combination with an electric circuit, of a pair of insulatingblocks spaced apart, a conductor ring located in the space andiconnectedwith one side of the circuit, a. resistance coil located in the spaceand having one end connected with the ring, an

insulating material inclosingthe resistance coil and located at theperiphery of the block, and a swinging contact member electricallyconnected with the other side of the circuit and adapted toprogressively engage the resistance coil from the conductor ring uponone side to the insulating material upon the opposite side.

3. The combination with an open electric circuit, of a housing embracingthe terminals of the circuit, a pair of insulating blocks spaced apartlocated within the housing, a conductor ring located within the spaceadjacent the center'and connected with one of the terminals, aresistance coil located within the .space and having one end connectedwith the ring, a swinging contact member connected with the otherterminal and having a finger in engagement with the resistance coil, aninsulating material located upon the external periphery of the coil andin position to engage the finger, and flexible members connected withthe swinging contact and extending outwardly through the casing.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

LEONARD SYKES, JAMES H. NAVE. Witnesses:

RHYs DAVIES, F. S. GRAMER.

